What to expect from CES 2026, with AI, robotics and mobility in focus

CES 2026 opens in Las Vegas with AI, robotics, health and mobility in the spotlight

LAS VEGAS — CES 2026, the annual technology trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association, kicks off this week in Las Vegas, with companies aiming to put a spotlight on the latest tech they plan to offer in 2026.

The multiday event will feature advances across industries including robotics, health care, vehicles, wearables and gaming, with artificial intelligence again set to be anchored in nearly everything. CES organizers are also positioning the show around consumer-facing applications, from health and longevity to new ways to create content and move around.

AI headliners and keynotes are expected to reinforce that theme. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is scheduled to take the stage to showcase the company’s latest productivity solutions, while AMD CEO Lisa Su will keynote to share her vision for delivering future AI solutions. The show’s AI emphasis is also expected in other keynotes, including one from Lenovo CEO Yuanqing Yang.

Robotics and domestic automation are also expected to be central, with CES previewing more unveils around home-oriented machines. Korean tech giant LG said it will show off a helper bot named “CLOiD,” intended to handle a range of household tasks. Hyundai is also announcing a major push on robotics and manufacturing advancements, and extended reality—described as a virtual training ground for robots and other physical AI—is among the areas drawing attention.

Organizers say the health-related track will remain a focus for AI as well, including efforts aimed at changing individual health habits to treat conditions. The show preview includes examples such as Beyond Medicine’s prescription app focused on a particular jaw disorder, alongside work meant to address data shortages in areas such as breast milk production.

For mobility, CES preview material points to a broad range of vehicle and transportation concepts, extending beyond self-driving. The program also highlights robotics-adjacent use cases involving boats and drones and other ways of getting around.

CTA Executive Chair and CEO Gary Shapiro, speaking with The Associated Press ahead of the show, said one of the main themes is using AI in ways that make sense for people. He also pointed to robotics as an area of rapid change, describing CES’s robot lineup as including “more robots and humanoid-looking robots than we’ve ever had before.”

On health, Shapiro said CES is emphasizing longevity, with wearable devices for almost every part of the body. He also said, “Technology is answering healthcare’s gaps very quickly,” describing the focus as a benefit “for everyone.”

Humanoid robots, creativity and a new disability-focused emphasis

Shapiro addressed whether humanoid robots would be arriving in everyday homes this year, saying: “You are seeing humanoid robots right now. It sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t.” He said there are “more and more humanoid robots,” and suggested that over longer CES timelines the range of humanoid robots will expand further.

He also said specialization will remain part of the robot industry, adding that there is “a lot of specialization in robot creation, depending on what you want the robot to do.” Shapiro pointed to CES’s popularity with smaller consumer-friendly robotics, saying that last year the “number one product of the show” was “a little robotic dog that seems so life-like and fun.”

When asked about AI-powered devices or services for consumers, Shapiro said CES is also shifting more attention toward accessibility and inclusion. He said the show has “a special focus at this show, for the first time, on the disability community,” adding that Verizon set up a stage intended to show “all different ways of taking this technology and having it help people with disabilities and older people.”

Shapiro also tied AI to entertainment and creativity, saying, “AI is the future of creativity,” and arguing that the development path is “a hybrid approach,” with content creators working with AI to craft variations or better monetize existing work for a wider audience.

Organizers expect CES scale similar to 2025

In 2025, more than 141,000 attendees from over 150 countries, regions and territories attended CES. Organizers expect “around the same numbers” for this year’s show, with more than 3,500 exhibitors across the floor space this week.

On the question of whether the AI market could be headed for a bubble, Shapiro said, “there’s definitely no bubble when it comes to what AI can do,” and compared the current environment to earlier concerns about the late 1990s tech boom. He said a different concern is getting enough energy to process the expanding demand for AI, and said this year’s CES includes “a Korean company showing the first ever small-scale nuclear-powered energy creation device.”

Footnote

This story was compiled from reporting and quotations in a pre-existing Associated Press interview and preview materials, with the interview conversation described as edited for clarity and length.